Doppelgangers...
Apparitions whose appearance resembles very much like the original. In fiction and mythology, they are portrayed as spirits who bring bad luck upon being found. In other stories, they are unrelated people who simply act as evil twins to the protagonists. There have been several portrayals of doppelgangers in recent times along with a movie about evil family twins in red jumpsuits from years ago.
However, the one in the mirror... They don't look like any other doppelganger I know. The way they knew of my current dilemmas and my brother without me uttering a single word about them. How they threw insults right off the bat the moment he entered the room. It feels very familiar, yet horrifying enough to almost drop my sword. I want to use my [Investigate] on this strange boss, but I don't have the heart to do anything right now after seeing my own reflection grinning horrifyingly.
[What's the matter, me? Cat got your tongue? I thought you were going to... What you say... "Kick my a**"? Hahaha!]
This bastard... I wish I could punch this guy's face right now. But if this quest is what I think it is, then everything I've endured from that point would be utterly meaningless if I snap back. The past two trials were there for a reason and I have to keep my head cool if I want this quest to succeed.
"Yeah, laugh it up. I just didn't expect a copy of me being the final boss," I say while wearing my mask of cool in front of him. "What's the point of you mimicking me anyway, copycat?"
[Hmmm... Good question, one which you would die the moment you find the answer,] the imposter clapped back from the reflection. [Besides, your last two fights were a fluke. You only won because you got a lot of lucky shots.]
Lucky? The fights themselves say otherwise. I was defeated once by Veritates, made a risky move to win the rematch, and had to use underhanded tactics to teach Acutus a lesson. But it's not like my imposter would end up twisting those events to satisfy their desire to make me miserable during the final fight of the [Hidden Quest]. They might be listening to this as I stare down at them.
"Can you do better than insulting me? Acutus did it first and honestly, it's getting boring." I raise my sword one more time against the mirror. "Besides, I already know your next line is going to be about my brother, right? Sorry to say that's not gonna work this time."
[Oh?] My mirror self tilts their head as if they're confused. [And what makes you think of that? I mean, whoever's in charge here must have used this "test" as an excuse to kidnap little Kazu and his pathetic friend. Does that make you mad with rage? You're worried sick about him like a mother wolf worrying about her pup! So what do you think? You're going to take it out on me for your weak and pathetic brother?]
Honestly, I thought of that the moment I found myself in this place, too. Why did that person who called herself a "sage" suddenly put me here away from my brother who was supposed to be protected with the [Guardian Player] system? My head was on high alert when I couldn't get out of refusing the [Hidden Quest].
"Yeah, you're right about all of them. I'm worried about Kazu when he's not around. It's not different when we're adventuring together around <Volo>. As his older brother, I should have done a better job keeping an eye on him while helping him out of trouble, whether from bullies or otherwise. So you're not wrong. I'm plenty worried for him."
I can see them grinning again. It's as if they don't care about my feelings at all. [Good. At least you're a-]
"However..."
STAB!
CRACK!
I know there's a myth about getting bad luck if you break a mirror. But I don't care at this point since my blade is already on the mirror.
"Of all things I know from Kazu over the years up to this point, "weak" and "pathetic" are the ones I'm confident he's going to grow out from," I declare with my own grin. "By the way, I know you left your home when I found you here. I suggest you come out so we can start already."
Thank god for that last battle. Since my [Hunting Mastery] wasn't restricted, it has leveled up and my [Eagle Eye] has evolved into [Keen Eye]. It simply has increased the range of my item scan with the added bonus of finding hidden pathways. While I don't find any pathways, I do notice that the mirror was glowing in my eyes. But not enough to detect mana yet. The rest was a risk-it-all gambit and rage venting because I was sick of their rants anyway.
This isn't my first rodeo with a doppelganger. Years ago, my Dad hosted a D&D campaign with my brother and me. In one of those adventures, we encountered this same situation before. Copies of our characters appeared right in front of them, taunting them with their flaws and letting their insecurities lose their focus during the battles, giving us some nasty dice-roll penalties. We were having trouble with the doppelganger monsters because my brother got too invested in his wizard character while I was trying hard not to punch something when one of them insulted me a bit too much. Thankfully, we just barely won the fight and had a good ending for the adventure.
Yet something about this fight seemed similar to that adventure...
[Man, you really are impatient, do you?! Well, I expect you to be suspicious about the mirror anyway. But there's one thing you failed to realize, me.]
TWANG!
Wha... What the heck?! I barely dodge that arrow, but it would've done more than barely graze my cheek if I hadn't broken my thoughts in time! Don't tell me...
[Mirrors aren't my specialty.]
I turn around and see shadows gathering to form a human figure until it resembles me and my current outfit. But instead of simply mimicking my appearance, the imposter has black hair and yellow eyes with their [Wild Wolf Hunter] outfit colored in black and red.
[Shadow Doppelganger]
[A spirit that copies and twists its target's appearance and personality. They desire nothing but despair and doubt in their victims and are shameless to copy everything including their talents and skills. They can also use the darkness to use their twisted mind tricks and tactics to destroy them.]
[HP: 1260/1260]
Dammit! I fell for that trap! No, the better term is that I've underestimated this guy. I've been relying too much on my expectations based on my experience with the light novels I read that I wasn't prepared for that shadow-like ambush. I feel like there's no handicap for this final fight, but I feel like I need to downplay my expectations if I want to survive. This is the real deal and I'd rather focus all of my strength and mind against my own worst enemy.
[So you want to fight so bad, me?] The doppelganger then draws a red version of my [Sapphire Sword] from their sheath. [Then bring it!]
As soon as they (or he) says this, I see most of the torches get extinguished by a gust of wind and a faint light above us shines enough light on a small battlefield.
[NOTICE]
[The [Shadow Doppelganger], <Dark Wind> uses the darkness around you to their advantage. Use everything in your arsenal to defeat them!]
I guess this is the game's way to give me a reverse handicap against his near-OP power to blend into the shadows. Since most of the battlefield is poorly dimmed for this fight, at least it's nice enough to not make things too difficult. Which means I can now use this after two battles of being restricted.
"Spirit of Sylph, I ask for your aid. Grant me the power of the wind to outrun and defeat my opponents! [Bluster Speed]!"
I let the gust of wind embrace my body for a speed boost. Vision handicap or not, it's nice to have all of my [Masteries] back. First off, I use [Super Jump] to gain distance away from my doppelganger while switching from my sword to my bow and arrows. Then, I use [Owl Vision] to take aim and load up my [Experimental Compound Bow] with my [Steel Arrow], the upgraded versions of the ones I normally use for these kinds of battles courtesy of Ol' Wally's help. I only have a limited amount compared to the old ones, but it's a perfect time for me to test them out in this fight.
"Consider this as my hello! [Corkscrew Pierce]!"
I release my arrow and let the skill do the rest. That would end the fight if it hits them in their head, but realistically even in games, that's not gonna happen. But I am serious about it as a greeting because that's not the only attack I throw out. Using my [Super Jump] enhanced with [Bluster Speed], I take out two [Spiral Arrows] and readied my arrow. Normally, this would set up an overkill with [Arrow Shower], but I have something else in mind.
As for my doppelganger, they draw their sword and try to slice the arrow. This would work if it's made of wood. But the [Steel Arrow] is completely made of steel thanks to my [Blacksmithing] and since the passive skill, [Owl Vision] simply increases my accuracy of said attack, the attack strikes their shoulder instead. Not much, but it's a great way to start.
[Do you seriously expect that a weak attack would be enough to stop me?]
I grin just as I pull the bowstring. "Hardly. [Twin Arrow Shot]!"
And I fire again. The [Twin Arrow Shot] is a skill I've recently gained after leveling up my [Archery Mastery] from that last fight. It lets me attack two times similar to [Flurry of Blades] at the cost of two arrows, but the damage output is worth it depending if both arrows hit or not. What's better is that [Spiral Arrows] are also made of steel. So his sword isn't enough to cut them down as one of them hit his left shoulder next.
[ARRRGGGHHH!!! You arrogant imposter!]
I land back on the ground on my feet and shout, "Me? An imposter? Says the guy who has shamelessly copied my face to spite me. You're nowhere near my level if you keep talking than firing your arrows."
But then, I hear my own voice cackling like a madman from the being copying my appearance. [Oh, you little know-it-all. You haven't realized whom you're facing, huh? Just because you won the first two trials doesn't mean you can be cocky for your own good. In fact, I will show why you shouldn't mock me.]
And that's the cue. This guy will probably start mimicking my moves next, so if I keep my wits up, then...
[Flurry Arrows].
...Wait, what?!
I suddenly feel a gale blowing above me and when I look up, I gasp to see red arrows made of wind created above me. When I see a resemblance from [Arrow Shower], I realize I've made a big mistake.
"Oh, sh-"
That's all I said before the arrows start to rain down on me. I quickly switch weapons before starting to run like hell to avoid the arrows. I side-step one arrow, rolled away from another that almost hit my forehead, and tried to deflect them with my sword. But there are too many for me to dodge them all! Something isn't right! I know I've never learned that skill or spell before! How the hell did they learn it after they were created for the fight?!
[That's my greeting, imposter.] As I continue dodging, I catch a glimpse of my doppelganger taking out their copy of [Experimental Compound Bow] and [Spiral Arrows]. [Now taste this! [Tracking Aim]!]
Crap! Not that one! I'm still dodging those wind arrows and they immediately use a skill that guarantees a hit. With an arrow of my own creation against me too, no doubt! There's no way I can dodge it and I've already witnessed what will happen if I deflect it with my sword. So I use it to redirect it to my shoulder while also taking a few wind arrows on my back.
[HP: 528/630]
Ow... That hurts like hell. But at least it's not too much damage than I thought I would get. But dammit, I didn't expect them to use different skills by copying the last ones I used. No, it's still too early to panic. I already had a few hits on that jerk. I need to use a different tactic that would surprise them.
"Spirit of Sylph, I call the gale to my growing aura and allow me to manipulate the air all around me!" I shouted as I aimed my sword at my doppelganger. "[Wind Sickle]!"
I fire several wind blades in hopes of chipping down their [HP] a bit more before I can charge.
[Wind Edge].
What?! I haven't heard of that skill or spell before?! And without using the incantation?! I know they shouldn't be able to cast it like that. But to my shock, the doppelganger not only succeeds in their spell in the form of familiar, but bigger wind blades, but they manage to negate mine the moment they try to reach them.
"H-How did you..."
But I don't have the time to finish as my copy sneers and says, [That's a really nice trick, me. Real nice. Too bad it doesn't handle its evolved state.]
Evolved? Wait, are they telling me that's [Wind Sickle's] evolved skill?!
[Now let me show you some real gale! And it's much bigger and stronger than you expected.]
The breeze in this room becomes stronger as I try to keep my feet planted on the ground. I have a bad feeling as they start to gather around my copy with a sneer still on their face.
[Prepare yourself. Cause you will never escape the moment you're in its grasp. [Twister Trap].]
He closes his hand into a fist and the gale starts to surround me as it forms a tornado around me. Before I know it, I start to feel scratches forming around my body as I can't bear the pain in my arms and hips.
[NOTICE]
[You are currently trapped in the tornado created by the [Twister Trap]. You will start losing 3 [HP] per second unless you can escape or the tornado expires for 3 minutes.]
3 [HP] per second?! I'm not a math genius like Damon, but if I multiply that by 3 minutes, I'm guessing there is no way I can survive past the time limit. When I try to leave the tornado, I see my [HP] going down faster in a second. So getting out by force is out of the question as well. They barely fire a few arrows at my back and they've managed to throw in a tornado that will kill me if I don't get out of its cage!
[Surprised? Well, I can say the same,] my copy said. [Whatever you do, I can do better. And I know there is no way you can escape unless you're willing to go out through the front and back doors. Another reason you're nothing but a rip-off.]
I growl. Facing this loudmouth version of myself is an even bigger pain in the ass than I thought it would be. Not only do they have powerful skills that I can't use right now, but they've also skipped a step to quickly use spells a bit faster than me! Damn, if this is what Veritates and Acutus were warning me about, then I might be in over my head for this fight.
"Would you shut up, faker?! Even if you have my powerful skills and cheat-like abilities, you're nothing but a monster copying my [Masteries] and personality. Besides, skills and spells aren't the only ones that make a real warrior."
I raise my sword and aim it at the face of my doppelganger who is five feet away from me.
"If you want to be me, then you have to think like me. Show me that you can outsmart the original!"
[Hmph... Easy for you to say. You're trapped in my tornado! Unless you're willing to kill yourself to escape, there's no way you can defeat me!] They grin again as they scratch under their chin. [But I love a good challenge. That's what you wanted, right? If you can survive my attacks, then I will give you mercy. But it's not like you're brother you can use even better spells than his brawny older brother, right? Hahahaha!]
Damn... Is this guy supposed to be my doppelganger? All he is spouting about is my competitive streak and it's not as bad compared to Damon's. Still, they have spells and skills that I can't predict through savviness and experiences alone. Those two fights were there for a good reason. There's a reason why a doppelganger is chosen as this [Hidden Quest's] final boss. A monster who uses my face to force me to confront my issues completely. That's the real purpose of the [Test of Courage].
If I want to show this imposter how real I am, then I have to face my fears and get out of my comfort zone. And to do that, I have to get out of this ticking time bomb. If I don't, then I'm going to die for the second time again! After that, I'm going to show them that those two fights weren't for nothing!
Kazu might try to get out of my shadows to keep growing stronger without me around. But for me, it's a battle if I can overcome the issues piling up on me. Time to finish this once and for all!